Korona Dairy Farm Fire cause may never be known

Monday, July 21, 2014 - Updated: 10:15 AM

PERTH -- Fire officials are still investigating the cause of Friday's blaze that ripped through the Korona Dairy Farm on Route 107.

Perth Fire Chief Peter Watrobski said this morning that narrowing the cause is difficult due to the extent of the damage.

"We are going to be looking at photographs and what the owners tell us," he said. "It is probably going to be undetermined."

In the meantime, farm owner Stanley Korona and his family continued to clean up the damage left behind by the fire.

Korona said the extent of the damage is still not known, except that they lost the 250-foot barn and several of the cows.

"We are finding more and more things as we clean up," he said. "We are meeting with the insurance company later today."

The fire began in the barn at 5:30 p.m. Friday; the structure was completely ablaze by the time firefighters arrived on the scene.

"In 20 minutes it was gone," Korona said, adding he lost five dairy cows and 25 calves. "We were trying to get them out but the fire began falling on us and the firefighters forced us to get out. We were lucky to save 90 cows."

It took firefighters more than two hours to control the flames and another four or five hours to make sure it didn't spread. At least 12 fire departments responded.

Korona thanked the dozens of neighbors and friends who came out to help relocate the cows after the fire, several of which had to be treated for burns.

Despite the loss, Korona said the plan is to rebuild and continue the family business, which will be going to his two grandsons.

Korona started farming with 20 cows in 1953. In 1965 they bought the current property and during the years have expanded. In 2002 they built a 100-foot addition to the barn, which contained 95 milking cows.

"I hope the rough days are over from today on," Korona said. "It can only get better."